Nottinghamshire | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

En route, the crew encountered unclear problems and elected to abandon the aircraft. The crew bailed out and was later found alive while the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a field.
Crew (18th OTU):
P/O A. Ratajczak,
P/O C. Czekalski,
Sgt A. E. Korzeniowski, †
Sgt J. Drapala,
Sgt R. Baszowski,
Sgt M. Nogacki.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in RAF Wigsley

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Avro 679 Manchester

Operator:

Registration:

L7298

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Circumstances:

On approach to RAF Wigsley, an engine failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed short of the runway threshold. While all occupants were unhurt, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
Clinch,
Elkington,
F. E. Eustace,
Mims,
A. A. Morgan,
Rowlands.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in RAF Wigsley

Date & Time: Aug 30, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Avro 679 Manchester

Operator:

Registration:

L7416

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

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Circumstances:

After landing at RAF Wigsley, the aircraft skidded on runway, veered off and eventually collided with trees. All occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The loss of control after touchdown was caused by the failure of the braking system.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester IA in RAF Wigsley

Date & Time: Jul 5, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Avro 679 Manchester

Operator:

Registration:

L7496

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Wigsley - Wigsley

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

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Pax fatalities:

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Circumstances:

Just after lift off, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled, hit the runway surface and slid for several yards before coming to rest in flames. While all seven crew members were unhurt, the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

Control was lost just after take off following an engine failure.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF Wigsley: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1942 at 1300 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

P5326

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Wigsley - Wigsley

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a local test flight at RAF Wigsley. Upon takeoff, the airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed. A crew was killed and a second was injured.
Crew:
Sgt Keith Alexander Andrews, pilot, †
Sgt E. G. Miflin, navigator.

Probable cause:

Engine failure upon takeoff.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF Wigsley

Date & Time: Mar 11, 1942 at 0050 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

P2085

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Wigsley - Wigsley

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Wigsley at 1926LT on March 10 on an operation to Essen. While returning to base the following night, it landed on the starboard wheel only. This caused the Hampden to swerve violently onto nearby rough ground, where the undercarriage collapsed. There were no injuries.
Crew:
Sgt E. H. Busfield,
Sgt Waites,
Sgt Gower,
Sgt Biggin.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Colston Bassett

Date & Time: Mar 4, 1942 at 1125 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L6804

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Upwood - Upwood

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Circumstances:

The pilot departed RAF Upwood on a solo training exercise. While cruising in very bad weather conditions at an altitude of 1,000 feet, an engine failed. The pilot climbed to 3,200 feet then abandoned the airplane that dove into the ground and crashed in Colston Bassett, bursting into flames. The pilot was uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt Geoffrey David Jessup, pilot.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Anston

Date & Time: Jan 16, 1942 at 0208 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

W7461

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Mildenhall - Mildenhall

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Mildenhall at 1823LT on January 15 an operation to Hamburg. It experienced an engine failure over the target area and on return, the crew met very poor visibility. Due to fuel exhaustion, the captain ordered his crew to bail out and later attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed one mile southwest of Anston and was written off. All eight crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
F/O William George Barnes, pilot,
Sgt Baker, copilot,
Sgt Townsend, flight engineer,
Sgt Cyril William Dellow, observer,
Sgt Heron, observer,
Sgt Leonard Charles Collins, wireless operator,
Sgt Cook, air gunner,
Sgt Richard Thomas Patrick Gallagher, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Engine failure and fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV in Clipstone: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 16, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 424 Wellington IV

Operator:

Registration:

Z1265

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Hemswell - Hemswell

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 1745LT on January 15 on an operation to Hamburg. While returning to base the following night, it encountered severe icing conditions and crashed in Clipstone. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Jan Bak,
P/O Stefan Berdys,
Cpl Franciszek Chylewski,
Sgt Pawer Konrad Krenzel,
Sgt Marian Wajceech Lagodzinski,
Maj Wacław Mosiewicz.

Probable cause:

Icing.

Crash of a Vickers 290 Wellington I in Edwinstowe

Date & Time: Jan 1, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 290 Wellington I

Operator:

Registration:

L4212

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

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Circumstances:

The crew encountered poor weather conditions and attempted an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in an open field located in Edwinstowe and was damaged beyond repair. All occupants escaped uninjured.